Kirkkonummi
Encyclopedia
Kirkkonummi (ˈkirkːoˌnumːi, , tɕyrkslɛt) is a municipality of inhabitants in southern Finland
. The literal meaning of the words "Kirkkonummi" and "Kyrkslätt" in English
is "church moor".
The municipality is located just outside the Helsinki Metropolitan Area
, bordering the city of Espoo
in the east. Other neighbouring municipalities are Vihti
and Siuntio
. The distance from the municipal centre to central Helsinki
is some 30 kilometre. Kirkkonummi also has excellent train
and bus
connections to other parts of the Greater Helsinki area, and many of its inhabitants commute daily to Helsinki.
The municipality covers an area of km2 of which km2 is water. The population density
is PD/km2. Over the recent years, Kirkkonummi has faced the highest population growth rate in the country, over 3% per annum.
Major population centres in Kirkkonummi include the municipal centre, Masala
, Veikkola, Kantvik and the Upinniemi
naval garrison area. In addition to these, there are dozens of smaller villages. Geographically, Kirkkonummi has two famous peninsula
s, namely Porkkala
and Upinniemi, the latter one of which houses a major Finnish naval base. Porkkala is also on one of the main bird migration routes in the Baltic Sea
region. Additionally, Kirkkonummi has a large central plains area, through which a railway goes from Helsinki to Turku
as well as extensive lake areas, much of which are quite untouched wilderness.
Kirkkonummi has been populated from the Stone Age
to the present day as evidenced by the very first Stone Age rock paintings found in Finland that are located by lake Vitträsk in the central lake region of Kirkkonummi. Incidentally, these paintings were found by the famous Finnish composer Jean Sibelius
himself. The southern half of the municipality was leased to the Soviet Union
between 1945 and 1956 for use as a naval base as part of the peace settlement that ended the hostilities between the Soviet Union and Finland during World War II
. Signs of this time include concrete bunkers, other fortifications and the remains of an airbase.
Other places of interest located in Kirkkonummi include the medieval stone church in the municipal centre, the wooden church in the village of Haapajärvi as well as the Hvitträsk
manor designed by three of the most famous Finnish architects ever – Eliel Saarinen
, Herman Gesellius and Armas Lindgren
.
in Kirkkonummi:
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. The literal meaning of the words "Kirkkonummi" and "Kyrkslätt" in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
is "church moor".
The municipality is located just outside the Helsinki Metropolitan Area
Greater Helsinki
Greater Helsinki and the smaller Helsinki Metropolitan Area or Capital Region refer to two regions of different size surrounding Helsinki, the capital of Finland...
, bordering the city of Espoo
Espoo
Espoo is the second largest city and municipality in Finland. The population of the city of Espoo is . It is part of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area along with the cities of Helsinki, Vantaa, and Kauniainen. Espoo shares its eastern border with Helsinki and Vantaa, while enclosing Kauniainen....
in the east. Other neighbouring municipalities are Vihti
Vihti
Vihti is a small municipality located in the Uusimaa region of province of Southern Finland, approximately northwest of the capital city Helsinki. Its seat is Nummela. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
and Siuntio
Siuntio
Siuntio is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Southern Finland and is part of the Uusimaa region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
. The distance from the municipal centre to central Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
is some 30 kilometre. Kirkkonummi also has excellent train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
and bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
connections to other parts of the Greater Helsinki area, and many of its inhabitants commute daily to Helsinki.
The municipality covers an area of km2 of which km2 is water. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
is PD/km2. Over the recent years, Kirkkonummi has faced the highest population growth rate in the country, over 3% per annum.
Major population centres in Kirkkonummi include the municipal centre, Masala
Masala, Kirkkonummi
Masala is a village of 5 854 inhabitants in Kirkkonummi municipality. It is situated in western Uusimaa region, southern Finland, just outside the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. Masala railway station, a station on the Helsinki commuter rail network is located in Masala....
, Veikkola, Kantvik and the Upinniemi
Upinniemi
Upinniemi is a village in the municipality of Kirkkonummi in southern Finland. It is located approximately 12 km south of the municipal centre....
naval garrison area. In addition to these, there are dozens of smaller villages. Geographically, Kirkkonummi has two famous peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
s, namely Porkkala
Porkkala
Porkkala is a peninsula in the Gulf of Finland located at Kirkkonummi in Southern Finland.The peninsula had great strategic value, as coastal artillery based there would be able to reach more than halfway across the Gulf of Finland...
and Upinniemi, the latter one of which houses a major Finnish naval base. Porkkala is also on one of the main bird migration routes in the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
region. Additionally, Kirkkonummi has a large central plains area, through which a railway goes from Helsinki to Turku
Turku
Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...
as well as extensive lake areas, much of which are quite untouched wilderness.
Kirkkonummi has been populated from the Stone Age
Stone Age
The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric period, lasting about 2.5 million years , during which humans and their predecessor species in the genus Homo, as well as the earlier partly contemporary genera Australopithecus and Paranthropus, widely used exclusively stone as their hard material in the...
to the present day as evidenced by the very first Stone Age rock paintings found in Finland that are located by lake Vitträsk in the central lake region of Kirkkonummi. Incidentally, these paintings were found by the famous Finnish composer Jean Sibelius
Jean Sibelius
Jean Sibelius was a Finnish composer of the later Romantic period whose music played an important role in the formation of the Finnish national identity. His mastery of the orchestra has been described as "prodigious."...
himself. The southern half of the municipality was leased to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
between 1945 and 1956 for use as a naval base as part of the peace settlement that ended the hostilities between the Soviet Union and Finland during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Signs of this time include concrete bunkers, other fortifications and the remains of an airbase.
Other places of interest located in Kirkkonummi include the medieval stone church in the municipal centre, the wooden church in the village of Haapajärvi as well as the Hvitträsk
Hvitträsk
Hvitträsk was designed to be a studio home for the members of the Finnish architecture firm Gesellius, Lindgren, and Saarinen. It later became the private residence of Eliel Saarinen. It is located about west of Helsinki in Kirkkonummi, Finland....
manor designed by three of the most famous Finnish architects ever – Eliel Saarinen
Eliel Saarinen
Gottlieb Eliel Saarinen was a Finnish architect who became famous for his art nouveau buildings in the early years of the 20th century....
, Herman Gesellius and Armas Lindgren
Armas Lindgren
Armas Eliel Lindgren was Finnish architect, professor and painter.- Biography :Armas Lindgren was born in Hämeenlinna on November 28, 1874. He studied architecture in the Polytechnic Institute of Helsinki, from where he graduated in 1897. While being a student he collaborated with Josef Stenbäck...
.
Politics
Results of the Finnish parliamentary election, 2011Finnish parliamentary election, 2011
An election to the Eduskunta was held on 17 April 2011 after the termination of the previous parliamentary term. Advance voting, which included voting by Finnish expatriates, was held between 6 and 12 April with a turnout of 31.2%....
in Kirkkonummi:
- National Coalition Party 30.7%
- Social Democratic PartySocial Democratic Party of FinlandThe Social Democratic Party of Finland is one of the three major political parties in Finland, along with the Centre Party and the National Coalition Party. Jutta Urpilainen is the current SDP leader. The party has been in the Finnish government cabinet for long periods and has set many...
16.8% - True FinnsTrue FinnsTrue Finns or The Finns is a populist and nationalist political party in Finland, founded in 1995 following the dissolution of the Finnish Rural Party. The head of the movement is Timo Soini. In the 2011 Finnish parliamentary election, The party won 19.1% of votes, becoming the third largest party...
16.3% - Swedish People's Party 14.3%
- Green LeagueGreen LeagueThe Green League is a centrist green liberal political party in Finland. It has ten seats in the Finnish Parliament and two in the European Parliament. The current chairperson is Ville Niinistö....
10.1% - Centre PartyCentre Party (Finland)The Centre Party is a centrist and Nordic agrarian political party in Finland. It is one of the four largest political parties in the country, along with the Social Democratic Party , the National Coalition Party and the True Finns , and currently has 35 seats in the Finnish Parliament...
4.4% - Left AllianceLeft Alliance (Finland)The Left Alliance is a left-wing political party in Finland. It was founded on the basis of the Finnish People's Democratic League and the Communist Party of Finland in 1990....
3.6% - Christian DemocratsChristian Democrats (Finland)The Christian Democrats is a Christian democratic political party in Finland. Formerly known as the Finnish Christian League , the Christian Democrats have six seats in the Finnish Parliament and one in the European Parliament.The party was founded in 1958, chiefly from the Christian faction of...
2.3%
External links
- Municipality of Kirkkonummi – official website